Interview: Severed Limb talks forthcoming releases, next show, and why they record on ‘one-inch’ tape

“Bela Lugosi” is Severed Limb’s new single from the band’s forthcoming project.

Photo: Jay Simpson

Last week, we covered Severed Limb’s “Bela Lugosi” single. This week, we’re back with a quick interview. With the help of our new friends at Drastic Press, Robert, who sings and plays guitar for the band talks to us about “Bela Lugosi,” recording on one-inch tape, and their upcoming benefit show for Musicians Against Homelessness.

How do you guys feel about having your new single and video out for the track “Bela Lugosi”? (It has to be exciting.)

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It’s definitely exciting to have a single out. When you’re in a band, you wish you could be releasing something all the time. But if you don’t go away, people can’t miss you. Roger Francis Cook and his crew did a great job on the video. Which reminds me, I need to take them all out for fish and chips, which I promised I’d do.

What made you guys decide to record the new single on one-inch tape?

Me, personally, I have always been a fan of the way it makes music sound.

Me too. First of all, we just like the sound. It’s the same with analogue photography vs. digital photography. I just like the way film looks. Plus, it’s also more disciplined which can be a good thing. The song was recorded—pretty much live—with just a vocal overdub. I think. Recording digitally can give you endless control in terms of overdubbing and adding more tracks, which is not always a good thing. Actually, I was telling everyone it’s one-inch tape but John from Chuckalumba studios told me it was actually two-inch. We’ve recorded to quarter-inch tape before with Marco Nelson (bass player with Paul Weller, Primal Scream). It’s really interesting to me, the world of tape.

When can we, the supporters, expect the next LP to drop? And what can we look forward to, sonically?

Well, we have a whole LP of stuff recorded but we might split it up into EPs. The reason is, sonically, it feels a bit like two records. There’s garage rock songs and then there’s songs that are just something different.

Any touring in the near future? When can we expect to see you stateside?

We’ll put together a tour in the UK early next year. In terms of the US, one day. Hopefully.

You guys have the Musicians Against Homelessness benefit show coming up November 12 at the Windmill in Brixton. Homelessness is a worldwide epidemic—that sadly can happen to any of us—at a given moment. How do you feel the government and society treat it as a whole? And what do you think we can do help? Or to help better the situation?

That’s a very good point, that it can happen to any of us. I’ve known various musicians who’ve been homeless. I’d say the current government in the UK have a bad attitude towards homelessness, unfortunately. In some towns, they actually fine people for being on the streets, as ridiculous as that sounds. We have a great magazine called The Big Issue that homeless people can sell / write for to make money and help them get back on their feet. It’s a really good magazine.

On another note, what in day-to-day life makes you smile? And what would upset you, to the point of wanting to Kung Fu chop someone?

It makes me smile when I see musicians playing in the street. That’s a great part of London culture and I’m sure it’s the same in the US. What makes me angry? People who drop litter. I can’t stand that!